Felipe Gonzalez

Professor Felipe Gonzalez is a Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Robotics (EER) within the Engineering Faculty at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He leads the Airborne Sensing Lab and is a Chief Investigator (CI) in the QUT Centre for Robotics (QCR). His research focuses on aerial robotics, UAV automation, and remote sensing, with applications in environmental monitoring, biosecurity, and wildlife conservation. He holds a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Sydney.

Dr. Gonzalez has secured over $47.1M in grants, including ARC DP, ARC Linkages, CRC projects, and industry partnerships. His work emphasizes translating scientific outcomes into practical solutions for autonomy, sensor design, and UAV-based data analysis. Notable achievements include the Green Falcon solar-powered UAV, which won the iENA 2011 Gold Medal and EDN Innovation Award.

His research spans UAV navigation in GPS-denied environments, precision agriculture, and AI-driven environmental monitoring. He has authored/co-authored nearly 130 refereed papers and several books on UAV design and optimization. Professional affiliations include Engineers Australia, AIAA, and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Awards include the Engineers Australia Excellence Award (2010), Vice-Chancellor’s Award (2011), and Chartered Professional Engineer (CPENG) certification. His teaching spans systems engineering, aerospace design, and UAV technologies, with consistently high student evaluations.

Current projects include Antarctic vegetation monitoring, multi-UAV path planning, and AI-driven pest surveillance. The Airborne Sensing Lab collaborates with industry and international partners to advance UAV applications in environmental and industrial domains.